


Sparring Partners

by Writinginstardust



Series: Fictober 2019 [7]
Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Dorian is turned on by women who can kick his ass, F/M, Flirting, Kissing, Sparring, girls giving Chaol an aneurysm bc that's fun, it's very dialogue heavy btw sorry, this is something we all know and love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-26 19:07:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20935250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writinginstardust/pseuds/Writinginstardust
Summary: When an old friend turns up at the castle, (Y/N) is more than a little surprised. When she sees her training, old memories surface and she figures out a plan to get in some sparring time together behind Chaol's back. Dorian happens across it and well...he likes a girl who can kick his ass...





	Sparring Partners

If there’s one person I hadn’t expected to walk into in the castle last week, it was Celaena Sardothien. Lillian Gordaina they’d decided to call her for secrecy and I’d nearly laughed when Chaol and Dorian had introduced us, unaware that we’d known each other for years. But that was an even more closely guarded secret than Celaena’s identity. No one could know that my parents had sent me to train under Arobynn Hamel. Not only was it unseemly for someone of my status but it would raise a few too many eyebrows among people we didn’t want asking questions.

So we’d pretended not to know each other, at least for a little while. But then I’d been walking past the training room with Dorian one afternoon and saw Chaol and Celaena sparring. Her form was off and her strength not entirely back after her year in Endovier and she was clearly frustrated. Not just at herself but at Chaol too it seemed. I stopped and ducked into the room, Dorian following behind me.

“Lillian,” I reigned in my smirk at the ridiculousness. “How’s your training going.”

“Oh not bad, Chaol sucks as a partner though.” She grinned and Chaol frowned at her. I held back a laugh.

“Fancy a new one?” 

“Do you know anyone who might be a challenge?”

“No,” Chaol interrupted. “You’re not training with anyone else.” 

“Why not? I’m not a threat. After all, I’m only a jewel thief.” She winked at me and I hid a laugh behind a cough. Quite frankly I found it hilarious how agitated I could see Chaol getting, his mind conflicted between keeping people safe from Celaena and maintaining the ruse they’d enacted.

“There’s no one else,” is what he finally went with.

“What about me?” The boys went silent. Shocked. Celaena had a twinkle in her eye. She was enjoying watching Chaol squirm. So was I. He was a dear friend but he really did have a massive stick up his ass sometimes. I took great pleasure in teasing him.

“Absolutely not. Are you mad?” 

“I assure you, I’m quite sane. I’d like to spar with her.”

“(Y/N), you can’t. I don’t want you getting hurt.” It was nice that Dorian’s only objection seemed to come from worry about me.

“If it’s worth anything to you, I promise I won’t harm her,” Celaena assured.

“No. Not happening.” Chaol looked sternly at us both.

“Come on, please?”

“No, and that’s final.” He turned away from me and I glared at his back but didn’t bother arguing further. I took Dorian’s offered arm and we left again, my mind trying to figure out some way around Chaol’s order without him finding out. I’d walk in there and spar with Celaena right in front of him if I had to but the whole thing was much easier if he didn’t know.

“You’re still going to find a way to spar with her, aren’t you?” Dorian asked, trying to hold back a knowing smile.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I didn’t bother to hold back my own smile.

“Just let me know when you do. I’d like to watch that.”

“Of course, your highness.”

A week later I finally managed to get time alone with Celaena in the training room. It was a relief to be in loose clothing for once and I was grinning before we even started to spar. 

“Oh I’ve missed this,” I wheezed after Celaena landed me on my back.

“Me too. You’ve lost your touch.” She grinned and offered a hand up.

“I’m just warming up. It’s been a while.”

“Excuses, excuses.”

“Oh just you wait Sardothien.” This time I was the one who got Celaena on the floor and it felt so good. I was in my element again.

“Lucky shot,” Celaena grumbled but she was clearly enjoying being evenly matched for once and having a partner who wouldn’t pull any punches. 

We continued for another few rounds, both of us winning as often as we lost, improving all the time, even as we slowly wore ourselves out. We took a break, downing some water and sitting against the wall together, catching up as discreetly as we could.

“I thought I asked you to invite me along to this.” Dorian’s silky smooth voice floated across the room from where he leaned in the doorway, mock betrayal on his face. 

“I made no promises.”

“I think you did.”

“Must have slipped my mind.” I smirked at him and he rolled his eyes.

“I should have known not to trust you.”

“That’s your own fault.” I turned back to Celaena. “Ready to go again, Sardothien.” I froze for a second at my slip-up but aside from a curious raised eyebrow, Dorian didn’t call me on it. Celaena didn’t seem fazed by it either.

“Always.”

We fought again for a while and I was very aware of Dorian’s eyes on me. It made it harder to concentrate and I had to work twice as hard but eventually I managed to pin Celaena again. There was a low whistle from the doorway followed by an indignant squawk and I looked up at Dorian and Chaol, grinning smugly.

“I thought I said no to this little sparring match.” Chaol’s voice was disapproving but he was clearly struggling to hide how impressed he was.

“When has she ever listened to orders from you?” Dorian asked, shaking his head fondly.

“Good point.” He turned back to me. “I believe you have a prior engagement though so we’ll have to cut this short I’m afraid.” I frowned, trying to think what it might be that had slipped my mind but came up empty.

“What did I forget about?”

“Lunch,” Dorian answered. “With me.” Oops. 

“Sorry. I thought that was Friday.”

“It is Friday,” Dorian chuckled. “Come on.”

“Do I need to change for this lunch?” I asked, very aware of the fact that I was a little sweaty and less than presentable.

“No. It’s just us. Don’t worry about it.” He smiled fondly and offered me a hand up. He didn’t let go of it as he pulled me from the room and I waved a hasty goodbye. 

“So, you know who she is,” he said when we finally reached his room and flopped down on an empty couch.

“I do.”

“How?” I hesitated. It was risky to tell anyone about the training I’d received, even someone I’d trust with my life. Dorian wouldn’t tell anyone though. I knew it in my heart.

“I trained with her.”

“You mean…?”

“Yes. …My parents wanted me to be able to defend myself against anything and anyone. They wanted me to be as prepared as possible so they got Arobynn Hamel to train me.”

“Wow. I can’t believe all this time you could have killed me so easily.” He was grinning like the thought was something exciting not something that should be terrifying.

“Don’t worry, I’ve yet to have any plans that involve your untimely demise.”

“And I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that.” He smiled and kissed my temple. “So you’ve been holding back when we’ve sparred together then? Here I was thinking I was better than you.”

“Well I couldn’t very well go showing up a prince now could I?” I bit my lip to hold back a smirk and failed. “And…maybe I liked you pinning me down.”

“Oh really?” I nodded and he leaned in, grinning as his hands found their way to my waist. He kissed me, hard and full of promises. Filthy ones and loving ones, both of which I wanted right now but would have to wait for. Still he let his hands wander, slipping them under my shirt and exploring with far more ease than normal. Ah, the many benefits of shirts.

“What about lunch?” I asked as I felt his actions get more meaningful.

“I asked them to postpone.” He grinned down at me and I found myself grinning right back. The kissing stopped for a minute as he slipped his hands into mine and pinned them by my head. There was a glint in his eyes as our gazes stayed locked and my breath hitched at the desire and mischief. His next kiss left me reeling, head spinning under the weight of it. He kept kissing me like that until I forgot everything else and if this was what happened when he caught me exercising, then I was going to have to do it a whole lot more.

**Author's Note:**

> Ugh, I don't like something about this but it's alright I guess. I just miss writing for Dorian.


End file.
